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Where R=root note and the ascending numbers are semitone intervals. 7th note extensions in parenthesis.

Chord

Formula

‘Feel’

Semitone

Root+1

Suspenseful, threatening

5th

R+7

Solid, ‘power chord’

Major

R+4+3(+3)

complacent, satisfied, optimistic

Minor

R+3+4(+3)

Sad (but not always)

7th

R+4+3+4

Tough, bluesey jazzy rocky

Major 7th

R+4+3+4

Happy, almost jazzy

Minor 7th

R+3+4+3

Airy, melancholy, ‘Not quite’ sad

Min/Maj 7th

R+3+4+4

Softer still

Augmented

R+4+4*(+3)

Blues, country, jazz

Diminished

R+3+3*(+3)

Classical, jazz, gospel

Sus2

R+2+5

‘Open’ sound , hanging there

Sus4

R+5+2

As above

Major 9th

R+3+3+3+4

Open, soaring, airy

9th (dom 9th)

R+4+3+3+4

Open, soaring, airy

m9th

R+3+7+10+14

Tragic, hopeless

6th

R+4+3+2

Jazzy-bossa playfulness

m6

R+3+7+9

Suspenseful, mysterious

To find the desired chord on the keyboard: Place a finger on the root note, count-up the semitones to the next position, place your finger and count-up again for the next position, etc. Example: A Maj7th = R+4-3-4 = A – Csharp – E – Gsharp.

To find the first inversion of any chord, take your finger off the root and place it on the note one octave above (in our example, still an A, just an octave higher).

To find the second inversion, move your lowest finger up to the next available note in the chord.

This way you can cycle up and down the keyboard, in the process using the same notes – = A – Csharp – E – Gsharp in different order.